Rewinding machine having improved cleaning-splicing mechanism



Feb. 21, 1961 N. H. MATTHEWS, JR 2,972,372

REWINDING MACHINE HAVING IMPROVED CLEANING-SPLICING MECHANISM Flled Sept. 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheer. 1

Noel IiMaflhealgJr:

1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 1961 N. H. MATTHEWS, JR 2,972,372

REWINDING MACHINE HAVING IMPROVED CLEANING-SPLICING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 P t, 1 /3] .:1 t: 28 35 29 35 :;f\32 II] I L-- I 49% xm Qs $2,

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ATTORAIE Y6 sition for splicing.

' embodying the invention;

United States Patent REWINDING MACHINE HAVING IMPROVED (ZLEANING-SPLICING MECHANISM Noel H. Matthews, In, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,509

Claims. (Cl. 154-421) This invention relates generally to a machine for ewinding strip material, and more specifically to an 1mproved rewinding machine for strip material having a rotatable member selectively movable into one position for cleaning the strip material, and into another position for aligning and holding the ends of two adjacent pieces of strip material so that they may be spliced.

Machines for rewinding strip material and more particularly for rewinding film are well known in the art.

The purpose of thesemachines is to run the strip material under tension from a supply roll to a take-up roll so that the strip material may be inspected, straightened, have defects slit out, the length of the strip material measured, or to reverse the direction of wind of a roll..

Rewinding machines of the type indicated are provided with auxiliary devices interposed between the supply roll case for carrying the cleaning elements and in the other case for developing a suction. Accordingly, such re- Two devices of this general type are a windingrmachines had to be large and bulky inordento accommodatethe many working parts of these devices. M v

Therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an improved rewinding machine for strip material that is more compact, constructed of;

fewerparts and more economical to manufacture.

. Another object of the invention is the provision of a rewinding machine for strip material having an improved cleaner-splicer mechanism adapted to be selectively movable into one position for cleaning, and into another A-more specific object of this invention is to provide a rewinding machine for strip material having a'rotatable member forming a cavity, and having a cleaning means A .on one side and a suction means on the opposite-side connected to the cavity. The rotatable member is selectively movable into one position for cleaning the strip material, and rotated 130 from the one position into another position for splicing two adjacent pieces of strip material.

.Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rewinding machine Fig. 2 is an end view partially in section of one end of the rotatable cleaner-splicer mechanism of Fig. 1 shown in a splicing position;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view partially in section of the cleaner-splicer mechanism taken from line 3-3 of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation view partially in section of the structure of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the cleanersplicer mechanism in a cleaning position;

Fig. 6 is an elevation view of one end of the structure of Fig. 4 taken from line 6-6;

4 Fig. 7 is a section view taken along line 7-7 of Fig.

; and

Fig. 8 is a view taken along line 88 of Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawings, this invention is embodied in a machine for rewinding strip material 8 such as film. The rewinding machine comprises essentially a pair of spaced-apart frame members 9 having axially movable gudgeons 10 for mounting a supply roll 11 of strip material 8 and a receiving roll 12 for receiving the strip material 3 from the supply roll 11. Idler rollers 13 are mounted between the frames 9 for directing the strip material 8 along a specified path from the supply roll 11 to the take-up roll 12. g

Rotatable slitter knives 14'of known type, two of which are shown, are carried by a shaft 15 supported by the frame members 9. Edging reels 16 are mounted on a rotatable support member 17 disposed between the frame member 9 and below the film path to wind up the material removed from the strip material 8 by the slit- .ters 4.

The cleaner-splicer mechanism 18 of this invention comprises an elongated member having end portions 19, 21 provided with respective journals 22, 23 at one end and projections 24,, 25 at the opposite end as seen in Figs. 3 and 4., Bearing support brackets 26, 27 for receiving and rotatably supporting the journals .22, 23 respectively are secured to the frame members 9 by screws. The intermediate portion of the mechanism 18 includes oppositely disposed rectangular plate elements 28, 29 secured to the projections 24, 25 by any suitable means and to one another by side plates 31 as seen in Fig. 8 to form a cavity 32. The plate 28 has elongated slots 33 for receiving permanently magnetized bars 34 of substantially U shaped cross-section to provide north and south poles. The magnetized bars 34 are secured to-the plate 28 by nuts and bolts 35 as seen in Fig. 8 'and are adapted to dislodge and remove any particles of ferrous material from the surfaces of the strip material 8. The plate 29 has a plurality of perforations 36 therethrough and a stepped slot 37 for receiving an elongated plate 38 having a slit 39 which serves as a knife guide forcutting off the strip material 8. The outer surface of the bar 29 is disposed a greater distance from the longitudinal axis of the mechanism 18 than the outer surface of the bar 28 so that in a cleaning position the magnets 34 are not in contact with the material 8 as seen in Fig. 5. In the splicing position, however,the perforated plate 29 is in contact with the strip material 3 as seen in Fig. 2. The end portion 21 of the member has a passageway 41 extending therethrough and connected to the cavity 32-at one end and terminating in a radiaily extending opening 42 formed by the oppositeend as seen in Figs. 2 and 5. The bearing support bracket 27 is also provided with an opening 43 adapted to receive one end'of a con duit 44. The opposite end of the conduit 44 is connected to asuction pump 45 shown dotted in Fig. 1 or any other suitable mechanism for forming a partial vacuum'within the cavity 32. Theiopening 43 in the end portion 21 is in register with'the opening 42 and the conduit 44 as seen in Fig. 2 when the member is posi 3 tions 36 facing the strip material 8. When the mechanism 18 is rotated into a cleaning position as shown in Fig. 5, that is, with the magnets 36 facing the strip material 8, the opening 42 is no longer in register with the opening 43 and conduit 44. The journal 23 in this position functions as a valve closing ofi the conduit 4-4 and operatively disconnecting the valuum pump from the cavity 32.

A locking mechanism for selectively locking the mechanism 18 in a cleaning or splicing position is carried by the end portion lid of the mechanism as best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7. The locking mechanism comprises a shaft 45 disposed transversely through the end portion 19 and having handles 47 at each end thereof and an eccentric cam 48- intermediate the ends. The end portion 19 as an axial opening 49 through the journal 22 for receiving a pin 51 having one end engaging the cam 48 and the opposite end provided with a transverse bar 52 secured thereto by a nut $3. A spring Ed is disposed in the opening 49 about the pin 53 and has one end bearing against a bushing 55 supported by the journal 22 and the opposite end bearing against a shoulder 56 formed by the pin 51 to bias the pin against the cam 48 as seen in Fig. 3. The end of the journal 22 has oppositely disposed slots 57 as seen in Fig. 6 for receiving the bar 52 to key the bar thereto for rotation while permitting axial movement of the bar 52 relative to the journal 22. The bearing bracket 26 has an annular projection 58 provided with oppositely disposed slots adapted to receive the bar 52 to releasably lock the cleaner-splicer mechanism 18 in either the cleaning or Splicing position. To move the mechanism 18 from one position to the other, one of the handles is turned causing the cam 48 to axially urge the pin 51 outwardly against the bias of the spring 54 withdrawing the bar 52 from the slots 59. The cleanersplicer mechanism 18 is then rotated throughan angle of 180 at which time the bar 52 once again registers with the slots 59 and is urged therein by the spring 54.

In the operation of this invention, let us assume initially that strip material 8 is being rewound onto a take-up roll 12 from a supply roll 11 and that the cleaner-splicer device 18 is disposed in the cleaning position with the strip material 8 passing over the side of the device containing the magnets 34 as seen in Fig. 5. The magnets 34 in this position are spaced a short distance from thestrip material 8 so that the material will not be scratched, marred or otherwise damaged by contact with the device 18.

Let us assume that the entire supply roll 11 of strip material 8 has been rewound on roll 12, a new supply roll mounted on the gudgeons it and it is now desired to splice the trailing end of the old roll to the leading end of the new supply roll. To accomplish this, the handle 47 is turned urging the bar 52 out of the slots 59, the

mechanism 18 turned through an angle of 180' at which time the bar 52 once again enters the slots 59 to lock the mechanism in a splicing position as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. In this position, the perforated sides of the device 18 engages the strip material 8. The partial vacuum developed within the cavity 32 by the vacuum pump 45 while the cleaner-splicer mechanism 18 is in the splicing position holds the end portions of the strip material 3 in overlapped relation. The material may be cut by a knife along the slit 39 of the plate 38 to form leading and trailing ends held in abutting relation on the splicer in preparation for splicing. Once the splicing operation has been completed, the mechanism 18 can once again be rotated 180 into the cleaning position.

Although but one embodiment has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled, in the art that various changesand modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I 1. In a machine for cleaning and rewinding strip material and facilitating splicing the trailing end of one strip to the leading end of another strip, the combination comprising: a supply roll for strip material; a take-up roll for receiving the strip material from said supply roll; means interposed between said supply and take-up rolls and selectively movable between a first position for clean ing said strip material as it is moving from said supply roll to said take-up roll and a second position for bolding the ends of two pieces of strip material so that they may be aligned and spliced; and locking means for selectively releasably locking said first recited means in either of said first and second positions.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first recited means comprises a hollow rotatable member.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first recited means compr' es a rotatable member forming a cavity and an axial passageway through one end connected to said cavity, one side of said member being perforated and in fluid connection with said cavity, said opposite side having a cleaning element; a source of vacuum; and valve means for intermittently connecting said cavity to said source of vacuum.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said cleaning element comprises a plurality of permanent magnets.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said valve means connects said cavity to said source of vacuum only when said rotatable member is in said second position.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first recited means comprises a rotatable member and said locking means comprises an eccentric cam carried by one end of said rotatable member; an axial pin carried by said one end; a spring for biasing one end of said pin against said cam; a fixed member mounted on said machine and forming a slot; and a lug carried by the opposite end of said pin adapted'to be received by said slot upon turning said rotatable member to selectively lock said rotatable member in either of said first and second positions.

7. In a machine for cleaning and rewinding strip material and facilitating splicing the trailing end of one strip to the leading end of another strip, the combination comprising: a pair of parallel, laterally spaced apart frame members; a supply roll for strip material carried by said frame members; a take-up roll carried by said frame members for receiving the strip material from said supply roll; an elongated member of substantially rectangular cross section havin circular end portions rotatably journaled in said frame members intermediate said supply and take-up rolls, said member having a cleaning element on one side and forming a cavity and an axial passageway through one of said end portions connected to said cavity, the opposite side of said member being perforated and in fluid connection with said cavity; a source of vacuum; and valve means for intermittently connecting said cavity to said source of vacuum to provide a suction on said opposite side of said member, said member adapted to be selectively movable between a first position for cleaning said strip material, and a second position for holding the ends of two pieces of strip material so that they may be spliced; and locking means carried in part by said opposite end portion and in part by one of 'said frame members for selectively releasably locking said member in either of said first and second positions.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said cleaning element comprises a plurality of permanent magnets carried by said one side of said member.

9. The invention as defined .in claim .7 wherein said locking means comprises a lever transversely extending through said opposite end portion and having aneccentric cam; an axialpin carried by said end portion; a spring for biasing one end of said pin against said cam; a stationary member mounted on one of said frame members and having a central opening through which said pin extends, said stationary member further having an annular projection provided with oppositely disposed slots; and a bar carried by the opposite end of said pin adapted to be received by said slots upon turning said rotatable member 5 References Cited in the file of this patent only when said rotatable member is in said second 10 2,774,329

position.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Wittel May 12, 1931 Hayden June 9, 1931 Goldberg Feb. 1.1, 1941 Speed et a1 Dec. 29, 1953 Perry Feb. 22, 1955 Smith Dec. 18, 1956 

